About The times. (Gainesville, Ga.) 1972-current | View Entire Issue (May 13, 2020)
Shannon Casas Editor in Chief | life@gainesvilletimes.com She gainesvilletimes.com Midweek Edition - May 13-14, 2020 ‘Everything foul that you can think of’ Rare, malodorous corpse flower blooms at UNG Photo courtesy University of North Georgia Ashlee McCaskill, a biology professor at the University of North Georgia, stands beside a 54-inch corpse flower, which only blooms once every seven to 10 years. The 10-year-old plant blossomed on May 7, in a greenhouse on UNG’s Dahlonega campus. The endangered titan arum, also called the corpse flower, bloomed May 7, at the University of North Georgia’s Dahlonega campus. BY KELSEY PODO kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com The corpse flower unleashed its black frills and aroma of feces and rotting flesh May 7 at a Dahlonega greenhouse. The endangered titan arum, also known as the corpse flower, bloomed at the University of North Georgia in Dahlonega, offering a nearly 5-foot spectacle and pungent odor that perme ated beyond the greenhouse and lasted about two days. “It’s everything foul that you can think of with a little bit of garlic thrown in for good measure,” Ashlee McCaskill, biology professor at UNG, said. “One person who came to visit, the odor made her so nauseous that she almost passed out.” McCaskill said the corpse flower is native to Sumatra and can take seven to 10 years to bloom. This rare plant’s spadix, which is the spike that grows from its center, ‘One person typically reaches J7 between 6 to 8 feet tall. who came to visit, the odor made her so nauseous that she almost out.’ Ashlee McCaskill biology professor, UNG McCaskill said personally she added the corpse flower along with several other specimens, to the university’s greenhouse. Despite the rar ity of the plant in the wild, she said it was commer cially available nfKsed out ’ at a nursery in pdbbCU UUl. North Carolina. Other than incorporat ing extra peat moss in its soil, McCaskill said corpse flowers are relatively low main tenance. The five in UNG’s greenhouse are watered and fertilized once a week with Miracle-Gro. When one of those plants bloomed this year, McCaskill was taken by surprise. “It’s my understanding that in gen eral, it’s pretty unpredictable with blooming,” she said. “I thought it would be a few more years. It’s very unexpected.” For the short amount of time it opens its black frills, the pungent odor attracts carrion beetles and flesh flies, which help pollinate the plant. Both the smell and dark hue mimic rotting flesh that certain insects enjoy. From McCaskill’s observations, she said the short length of bloom is mostly likely due to the large amount of energy it gathers over seven to 10 years to begin its bloom cycle. “My guess is that it would not be that sustainable to keep open,” she said. The last documented blooming of a corpse flower in Georgia was 20 years ago at the Atlanta Botanical Garden, McCaskill said. Because of the pandemic, UNG couldn’t host an in-person viewing of the flower but instead livestreamed the spectacle on May 9. “I think it went pretty well, con sidering the weird situation that we’re in,” McCaskill said. “I always planned on having a big viewing party, so people could come see it in real life.” The black bloom, which is called the spathe, encases tiny flowers that develop into berries if pollination occurs. McCaskill plans to plant the flowers’ seeds and grow more of the endangered species at UNG. The biology professor named the corpse flower “Carol,” and has spent hours sitting next to it since May 7, despite its terrible odor. She said she only names plants that “put on a show.” “It was a bucket list plant for me,” McCaskill said. “I’d never seen one in bloom. I was giddy to be able to experi ence this.” Midland public art attraction installed at greenway BY KELSEY PODO kpodo@gainesvilletimes.com Striking metal letters that read “Midland” now stand along the old Gainesville Mid land track at the Midtown Greenway. Paying homage to a piece of the city’s treasured history, the Vision 2030 public art com mittee, which is sponsored by the Greater Hall Chamber of Commerce, finished install ing the 7-foot-tall letters last week. Julie Butler Colombini, member of the committee and marketing manager with Gainesville Parks & Rec reation, said the artwork is intended to keep the railway’s legacy alive and offer an inter active experience. “It’s going to be an attraction to the area,” she said. “The midtown area itself is going to be growing and changing, and the art is only going to highlight that. I can imagine all of the Instagram moments and senior prom photos.” Colombini said the proj ect was funded through a gift arranged by the North Georgia Community Foundation and the 2019 Vision 2030 Public Art Block pARTy. Colombini said the gift’s anonymous donor wished to honor the iconic Midland Rail System, which supported indus trial growth in Gainesville. The railway connected Gainesville to Athens and started carrying passengers in 1906. It served the textile industry and shipped building materials, machinery, coal, fertilizer and other commodi ties, according to the Northeast Georgia History Center. One of the historic railroad’s locomotives, Engine 209, sits on the corner of Jesse Jewell Parkway and West Academy Street. It was in operation between 1933 and 1939. Although the Midland letters provide a landmark, Colom bini said she wanted to remind people that it’s art for people to enjoy. She predicts the attrac tion will catalyze more pub lic art in the midtown area and bring more people to the greenway. “To me public art is all about community, and this landmark is just going to be the start of more things to come,” she said. SCOTT ROGERS I The Times Vision 2030 pays homage to the old Midland Rail track by installing giant letters along the Midtown Greenway in Gainesville.
